The good times
by Dawn4
Summary: Sequel to It's all in the past. What are their best times now?
1. From here to eternity

The good times Chapter 1: From here to eternity  
  
A/N: Here's the first of the best moments series. The title of this chapter is a song by Michael Peterson and fits this chapter so perfectly I had to use it. Lyrics included in the chapter.  
  
  
  
"The best moment of my life would have to be my wedding night," Grissom's voice held a tenderness his friends had never heard him use before. They already knew he loved Rayleigh but it still shocked them to hear that tone in his voice. This wasn't their always-in-control, emotions- in-check Grissom. "Things were so hectic the night before that I was so sure the wedding would be a disaster. The caterers got the date wrong and had to scramble to get all the food we'd ordered ready, my suit somehow was misplaced, and my cousins kept harassing me about a bachelor party. I eventually gave in and I admit I had fun.  
  
"When I got to the church the next day, in my suit that my father had found in a closet, I found my dad pacing and my cousin Bradlee, whom I had chosen as my best man, was trying to calm him down. I still think my dad was more nervous than I was. I stood at the alter beside Bradlee and waited with little patience and plenty of nerves as the groomsmen escorted the bridesmaids up the aisle. Finally Rayleigh and her dad began their walk down the aisle.  
  
"She took my breath away. Her dress showed off her curves perfectly and the pale pink colour brought out the glow in her cheeks. Her hair was hanging down in ringlets, framing her beautiful face and making her look like an angel. Her eyes locked with mine as her father gave her away and I could see the love she felt for me radiating from them.  
  
"We exchanged the traditional wedding vows, I meant every single word and I knew she did too, then kissed. We moved the ceremony to the hall attached to the church for the dinner and dance. I was nervous about the dinner but the caterers did a great job in the little time that they had. It was fantastic.  
  
"The first dance is probably the thing I remember the most about the post-wedding celebration. The music started and I took her into my arms. She always fit so perfectly into them. She laid her head on my shoulder and I held her close as we danced to the song.  
  
"I've done everything I could to get you here tonight Without telling you why Now girl, if only you would, please hold out your hand Just close your eyes I've been dying to as you one burning question Will you be mine?  
  
From here to eternity I'm asking you to share your life with me Now and forever I guarantee I'll always stay by your side I promise my love to you I'm willing and able and ready to Whatever you need, I'm here for you And I'll always be From here to eternity  
  
Well, I've saved a year for this ring, and I can't wait to see How it looks on your hand I'll give you everything that one woman needs From a one-woman man I'll be strong, I'll be tender, a man of my word And I will be yours  
  
From here to eternity I'm asking you to share your life with me Now and forever I guarantee I'll always stay by your side I promise my love to you I'm willing and able and ready to Whatever you need, I'm here for you And I'll always be From here to eternity  
  
"When we broke apart I could see her love for me shinning in her eyes. I couldn't wait to start my life with her as I loved her so much that she became my life."  
  
Sara smiled at him when he looked up. She had no idea her boss was such a romantic. She felt bad for saying that she wanted to be like him because he felt nothing. Now she wanted to be like him so she could feel as loved as he had. 


	2. Do something

The good times Chapter 2: Do something  
  
A/N: Here's Sara's best time as promised. I kinda stressed over this but I finally decided on a moment. Writing her worst time was a lot easier.  
  
"Guess it's my turn again, isn't it?" Sara closed her eyes for a moment so she could remember her best time privately. She wasn't used to revealing her innermost thoughts or talking about her past, even though she was more comfortable with her co-workers than her own parents.  
  
"My parents were never ones to show emotion. I guess they felt that it made them appear weaker. To this day I still have yet to see my father cry. He didn't even cry at my grandfather's funeral, and him and Granddad were close. My mom wasn't as bad. She cried a little at the funeral and when we heard about Abalyn but that was it. From them I learned to not express any emotion. If I wanted something I had to say it straight out or I wouldn't get it.  
  
"I grew up thinking it was fine, that it was normal, to express no emotion. I was pretty surprised when I got to high school and saw people openly expressing their love, anger, and frustration. I was too scared to ask my parents, and I doubted they'd answer me even if I did ask them. I just ignored everyone and everyone ignored me.  
  
"My mother encouraged me to get involved in something that interested me. She really should have told me that she wanted me to join the prom committee but since she didn't, I chose the science club. We met after school on most days and slowly they brought me out of the shell I'd been living in. I started to actually have fun in school, participate in class, I even signed up for the science fair with one of the guys from the club and our project won.  
  
"I guess what I wanted to do was show my parents that I was a capable human being and not someone they had to shelter anymore. They'd been protecting me from the real world ever since Abalyn's death but I wanted to show them they didn't need to anymore. I guess I would have done the same thing if I had a child in that position but back then I was getting desperate.  
  
"I spent all my time studying and learning because I was determined to go to a good university and get out of my house. I literally felt like I was suffocating because they kept m e so close to them. I was a little scared that they wouldn't let me go to university or wouldn't support me but I would be eighteen by then and they couldn't stop me.  
  
"Graduation came and I was valedictorian. After the ceremony my mother hugged me and father told me that they were both proud of me. They looked uncomfortable at all the displays of emotion happening all around them and left after a few pictures. I felt abandoned and disappointed but I refused to show it. I wouldn't show it.  
  
"On the day that I was leaving my father came into my room and sat on my empty bed. I would be leaving for university in an hour and he said he wanted to talk. He told me that he was extremely proud of me and that I could call if I needed anything, no matter what time it was. His eyes held unshed tears but he didn't let them flow over. He did hug me though, and kiss my cheek. He also gave me an envelope and told me no to open it until I was on the plane. My mom actually cried and hugged me tightly. They both told me they loved me and let me go.  
  
"Once I was on the plane I opened the letter. It was a song that my dad knew I liked and he must have thought it fit the moment.  
  
"You're alive, you gotta move/ You gotta do what you gotta do/ You gotta try, you gotta choose/ You gotta use what you gotta use/ Before you lose it  
  
And don't believe that you have no effect/ You're a person to be reckoned with  
  
You'll do something, no matter who you are/ You're gonna leave you're mark/ So use your mind and your heart/ Just do something, make a stand/ Change is in your head  
  
By: California Dreams  
  
"I guess that's that first time I realized that my dad would support me no matter what I wanted to do with my life. Their opinions and support meant more than I could ever tell them and to know that he would support me meant so much to me."  
  
Sara got up to get another drink. All the talking had made her throat dry. She asked her friends if they wanted something but only Nick took her up on the offer. She smiled as she poured the soda into two glasses. She made a mental note to call her parents in the morning to thank them. 


	3. I'm getting use to you

The good times Chapter 3: I'm getting used to you  
  
A/N: Sorry for taking so long to get this posted. I don't know much about Nick's family but since this is fiction I don't really have to do I? Here's his best moment.  
  
"I was pretty young when this happened, probably about seven or eight years old," Nick began his story. He looked over at Greg, who already knew what he was going to say. They had already told each other about their pasts, or at least the better times. "I had two older siblings, a brother who was off at college and a sister who was three years older than me. I would follow her around because I wanted to be like her. She was allowed to do all these things that I wanted to do but was too young, she got to stay up later, she was allowed to stay out after dark, things like that. But since I was her younger brother, she didn't want me hanging around and following her and her friends. All I wanted to do was play with my sister.  
  
"When it was just the two of us at home we played fine together. It was only when she had her friends over or was going somewhere with them that I wasn't old enough to play with them. I'd go up to my room, close the door, and play by myself. Most of the times I could hear Kalisa and her friends having fun in the next room.  
  
"One time Kali had two of her friends over and they wanted to play hide-and-seek. They wouldn't let me play so I told my mom and she made them let me play. I was so happy but Kali was mad. She thought I was trying to take away her friends I guess, but all I wanted to do was play with my big sister.  
  
"Kali's friend Bryanne was it. I hid in a fort that I had built with one of my friends. No one else knew where it was except for us and Bryanne would never find me there. I waited and waited and waited. It seemed like I was waiting for hours. It was starting to get dark and I was getting cold. It even started to rain. I was cold, hungry and wet. I did the only thing I could think of. I gave up.  
  
"I walked back to the house and once I got into the yard my dad came running out. I thought I was in big trouble for getting my clothes all wet but he just picked me up and brought me back into the house. My mom was waiting there with a big fluffy blanket that she wrapped around me and then went to make me some hot chocolate. Kali sat next o me and gave me a big hug then explained what happened.  
  
"It seems that after she found Kali and Hope, Kali's other friend, Bryanne couldn't find me. They all looked for an hour before Kalisa got worried and told our parents. Dad drove Hope and Bryanne home while mom and Kali went into the wood behind our house and started yelling for me. They went back into the house when my dad got home and were about to call the cops when my dad saw me through the window.  
  
"Then Kali hit me and told me to never scare her like that again. She had really been worried about me. She thought it was her fault that I got lost because she was ignoring me and let me go off to hide by myself. She promised to spend more time with me and that she would never let me go off by myself again until I was old enough. I finally got what I wanted from her. Acceptance."  
  
  
  
I'm getting used to you And I'm loving every singly thing about you I'm getting used to you And I could never get used to living without you  
  
A/N: Next chapter is Greg's best time. I already know what is going to b e so it shouldn't be too long. 


	4. Words

The Good Times  
  
A/N: I am soooo sorry it took me so long to post this. This is Greg's best time and it's probably a little or even possibly very chessy but oh well.  
  
  
  
"As you guys already know I didn't have a very nice childhood," Greg began after a few deep breaths. "I was always moving around and going to different schools so I never got to make any real friends. It stayed that way all through high school and college, though I stayed in one place for both of those. I guess I didn't know how to make friends because I never had them before.  
  
"My best time is more of a place than an actual event that happened. It's the place where I became a part of a group, where I learned how to make friends. That place is here.  
  
"It was my first week here when all that changed. Nick, you were the first person who actually tried to get me to talk to you. You never gave up, even when I was giving you one -word answers. Everyone of you tried to get me to talk to you about things other than work when we were in the break room and in the hallways.  
  
"I was slowly learning how to make friends just by seeing the way everyone here interacts. Before here, the only social experiences I had were school, and no one there wanted to hang out with me because I was gone a few weeks later. I guess they figured there was no use in being friendly because I'd be moving on soon.  
  
"My first day here everyone made me feel welcome. They were all saying how glad they were to have me here and that I would get along great with everyone. To be honest, I almost didn't come back the next day. I was afraid it would be another case of 'the new kid' where everyone welcomed you the first day then shunned you and ignored you the next.  
  
"But I did come because I had a job to do and once I got here everyone was still talkative and smiling. That really took a lot off my mind."  
  
Greg looked over to where Catherine was seated. She was smiling encouragingly at him, as she already knew how insecure he had been when he first arrived. She had found him one day after Ecklie had screamed at him and told him not everyone thought he was an idiot. He felt better after that.  
  
"There was one time when you were all going out to celebrate the closing of a really hard case. I don't know if you guys remember it but you all came down to the lab to get me. You told me I was a part of the team and should be celebrating too." 


End file.
